Groover was crowned top Hemingway at Sloppy Joe's Bar, a favorite haunt of the famous author when he lived on the island in the 1930s. The silver-bearded Groover had entered the contest eight times before, making the ninth time a charm.

"I think everybody here really has to pay their dues, and I did," Groover said.

Contestants came to the Florida Keys from countries across the globe, including Australia and Norway.

On Saturday, a legion of Hemingways took to the streets of Key West for a mock "running of the bulls." Unlike the more famous Spanish version, bovine-inspired carts stood in for the real fearsome beasts.

The festivities were part of a three-day event honoring the author of classics such as "The Old Man and the Sea" and "The Sun Also Rises." He died in 1961.